Improvement in harvesters



I. H. COLLER.

Harvester.

No. 40,675. Patented Nov. 24, 1863.

N. PETERS. Phnmlmha her. WashI v V UNTTEE STATES PATENT @rrrcE.

ISAAC H. GOLLER, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, 'NEVV YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT IN HARVESTE RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,675, dated November 24, 1863. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC H. OoLLER, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutohess and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of a harvester, showing the operation of my improvement. The dotted lines illustrate how the fin ger-bar rises to pass over obstacles. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a harvester. Fig. 3 represents a portion of the left-hand side of aharvester. Fig. 4c represents a portion of right-hand side of harvester. Fig.5 is a section of a finger-bar and finger.

My invention relates to an improvement in harvesters which are constructed with a fingerba'r made without a foldingjoint, but with an extension running under the frame from the inner shoe. In applying such finger-bar's to harvesters it is essential that they be arranged so as to rise and descend automatically as they run over undulating surfaces, and especially that they rise squarely along their wholelength with respect to the ground. It also is impor-' tant to have the means employed to effect this end simple and firm. My improvement secures a nearly-horizon tal automatic adjustment, and

provides a very simple and strong means for and still have it rise and fall horizontally, or

nearly so, along its whole length or from inner to outer end, I provide links H on the shoe For finger-bar, and to these links, by means of a hinge-pin, I connect a strong slide or plate, (I, this slide standing vertically, or nearly so,

' to the plane of the finger-beam. In order to guide and control this slide as the finger-beam rises and fails, I pass it up through a strong box, B, which isbolted fast to the frame A, as

shown. The slidejust fits the box, but is free to move up and down in it.

It should be noticed particularly that the finger-bar has no joints in it; also that the. slide 0 is hinged to the upper side of the shoe F or to the linger-bar, so that there is a freedom of motion at the point I sufficient to prevent any bind of the slide in the box B. It will also be observed that the extension E moves longitudinally as well as vertically in the guide K.- By this construction and arrangement I obtain all the advantages to be derived from a rigid finger-bar with an extension, and at the same time do not interfere with the automatic floating of the cutting portion thereof over undulating surfaces. Were ajointprovided between the extension and the cutting portion of the finger-bar, the utility of the extension, made rigid, would be destroyed, as the strain would come upon the joint; but by having the pivot-joint connection at I between the slide and the shoe or finger-bar the outer end of the fingerbar can rise and fallin passing over undulating surfaces, and in thus rising and falling there will be no bind between the slide 0 and box B. If the pivotjoint I was not provided, the guard-teeth on the outer'end of the finger-bar would run into the ground when the surface was uneven. The vertical play which is allowed the finger-barif the slide 0 were affixed rigidly to it, would not allow the finger-bar t0 float over ordinaryundulating surfaces while it is rising bodily, but only to rise and fall bodily or at right angles to the slide G, the result of which would be that in the lower portions of the field, or on the sides of bills, the stubble would be very unevenly cut, and much of the straw would be wasted. Again, it'only the joint I were provided, and the slide (1 not automaticin its adjustments,the horizontal adjustment could not be obtained during the cutting operation and without stopping the machine. The slide 0 I K. This plate K serves two very important 7 have all the vertical movement necessary to v a pulley .on the frame and attaches to an adnew. I also amaware that devices for adjustand the joint at I allow of two independent motions, with a stiff or jointless finger-bar-i. e., a vertical motion and an undulating motion, the extent of which latter is controlled by the length of the vertical slot in the plate oflices in the operation of the machine, to Wit: It serves as a stay-plate for sustaining the tinger-bar, by means of the extension E, against any backward thrust, and thus making the strain come upon the draft-frameequably. It also at the same time allows the finger-bar to success with a reaping or mowing machine.

In using my improvement I suspend the cutting apparatus by a chain, which passes over ju'sting-le er, as commonly practiced with floatin g finger-bars. l 1 am aware that finger-beams with an extension fitting or playing in, a slotted plate are ing the finger-bar squarely or at right angles to the side of the frame have been devised; l

new and useful improvement in harvesters is-- 1. The combination of the rigid finger bar D E, hinged slide 0, and guides B K, the whole constructed and operating substantially as hereindescribed. f

2. The slide 0, with its box 13, when the slide is hinged to the finger-beam or shoe by'ineans 'ot' links H and a bolt, I, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination of the slide 0, rigid finger-barD E, shoe F, and hinge-links H, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ISA AG H. (JOLLER.

Witnesses: 7

JOHN D. B. ()oLLEa, GEO. HANNAH. 

